Deborah-Diane is a freelance writer and educator from Orange County, California.Â Order her Kindle books for kids from Amazon or through these links:
"The Parrot Trap: A Children's Story" This short story can be used by parents to gently talk about Stranger Danger.
"The Mayor and the Garbage: The Teen Who Saved A Town."Â An excitingÂ novel that shows how teens can make a difference in their communities. Appropriate for 9-15 yr. olds.
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Best Wigs for Kids

Medical Wigs

And Costume Wigs

For many adults, wigs are a luxury item that they enjoy wearing to enhance their appearance. In other cases, they may wear a wig to conceal baldness that has been caused by a medical condition, such as alopecia, chemotherapy, or severe burns. Sadly, when a child needs to wear a wig, too often it is because of a medical problem. When this happens, it is especially important to try to find the most comfortable, natural looking wig possible, to help the child cope with their baldness. Later in this article readers will find several sources of medical wigs ... some of which may be free or at a low price. In other cases, kids just want to have a fun, colorful style to wear when they are playing dressup. Online sites like Amazon are the perfect place to order these selections.

Credit: www.amazon.com

Children's wigs are designed especially for children and young teens. They are made to be smaller than those for adults. They are also designed to more durable, so they can handle a kid's active lifestyle. The goal in providing wigs for kids is to help them maintain their confidence and self-esteem, regardless of the medical issues they are facing.

In addition to their medical needs, sometime kids want a wig so they can play dress up or go to a costume party. The one shown above is in the Strawberry Shortcake style. However, there are also selections available in a wide variety of colors, lengths and styles. If you want to purchase one that is inexpensive and just for fun, then Amazon.com may be the place to shop. If you want to see the full selection they have available on Amazon, you may want to use this direct link to costume wigs for children from Amazon.com. Many of them cost less than $15. They are so affordable, you could get more than one!

If you want a more expensive hairpiece in order to conceal a medical condition, below you will also find information about where to obtain them ... sometimes for free.

Where to Buy Medical Wigs for Kids

If you need a hairpiece that will conceal a medical condition, the first place to start is with your pediatrician. Many children's hospitals, pediatric oncologists and similar healthcare providers will be able to direct you to a local business that will help you find a wig for your child. However, if the child does not feel up to shopping with you, you may want to buy one online. You can let them look at the many different types that are available online, while in the privacy of your own home. You can even take your laptop to the hospital, and let your child shop from there! There are a number of sources available.

One source of wigs for kids is the website wigs.com. They have a special section of children's styles, including short, medium and long hair, as well as straight or curly hair in a variety of hair colors. Some of these are designed so that the hair can be pulled back with a barrette or similar hair accessory. Prices vary, but can range from around $150 to $300.

Another site that sells children's hairpieces is Wigs Warehouse at wigswarehouse.com. Their styles range in price from around $90 to $215.

Free or Cheap Wigs for Kids

One excellent source for children's wigs is the non-profit organization called Wigs for Kids, at wigsforkids.org. They provide medical hairpieces for children who are affected by chemotherapy, radiation treatments, alopecia, burns and similar medical problems. In order to qualify for assistance, the patient must be under 18 years old, suffering from hair loss due to a medical condition, and be unable to pay for the purchase of a hairpiece. Wigs for Kids has an application form on their website that will help you apply for assistance. This organization does not charge the family for their child's new wig. They provide a wonderful service that has cheered up many children and teens who are suffering from hair loss.

Locks of Love is another organization that provides wigs to both adults and children who are suffering from hair loss due to medical reasons. Locks of Love does sometimes charge their clients, but they still provide an important service for people who are suffering hair loss for medical reasons. Patients either receive their wigs free of charge, or they are charged on a sliding scale, based on the financial need of the family. Locks of Love is a non-profit that provides wigs and hairpieces to children under the age of 18 who are financially disadvantaged, if they suffer from a long-term medical problem that has caused the hair loss. They may suffer from alopecia, cancer or similar problems. Their goal is to help children have a sense of normalcy in their life, and restore their self-confidence. If someone you love needs a wig, be sure to check out their website, too, at locksoflove.org.

Donate Your Hair for Children's Wigs

It can take 10 to 12 "ponytails" of hair to make just one child's wig. Therefore, you may want to encourage people you know to donate hair to one of the organizations that makes wigs for children!

If you want to help a kid who needs a wig because of medical problems, you can donate your hair. Many hair salons will help you make arrangements to donate hair to Wigs for Kids. In order to be donated, the hair must be securely pulled into a pony tail. The section that is to be cut must be at least 12 inches long. It also must be clean and dry, and it cannot be permed, colored or highlighted. Once the hair has been correctly cut above the pony tail, it should be placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in tissue paper, and mailed in a sealed envelope to Wigs for Kids, 24231 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145. Check their website for the latest information on how to donate hair so that will provide a free wig to a child.

Locks of Love also appreciates donations of hair for their medical wigs. Many hair salons can make arrangements for you to donate your hair. Their requirements are a bit different from those of Wigs for Kids. For example, Locks of Love will accept hair that has been colored or permed. They will also accept hair that was cut years ago, if it has been stored in a ponytail or braid. However, hair that has been bleached or highlighted cannot be used. Of course, if you used to bleach your hair and it has now grown out completely, you can now donate it. They cannot accept hair that has been swept up off the floor, nor can they accept dreadlocks. They will accept layered hair, if the longest layer is 10 inches. If you decide to donate your hair to Locks of Love, the ponytail or braid should be placed inside a plastic bag, and then mailed in a padded envelope to Locks of Love, 234 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33405-2701. Check their website if you have any other questions about how to donate hair to this worthwhile organization.

We have had several members of our family donate their hair when they cut off their long hair in favor of a shorter style. If you plan to make a major change to the length of your hair, be sure to ask how you can go about donating your hair to one of these organizations.

If you would like to learn more about wigs for children, or other situations, you may also want to read these articles:

Costume Wigs from Amazon.com

This is just one of the dozens of choices available from Amazon. If you want to see other possibilities, just click on the blue product name above and you will be taken directly to the Amazon website where you can enter your own search criteria.